Bag turner



4 Sheets-Sheet l iwi Si@ B. A. HANNEWLD lAL BAG TURNER Filed Nov. 8,1945 Nov. 5, 1946.

Nov. 5, 1946. B A, HANNEWALD ETAL 2,410,731

BAG TURNER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 8, 1945 N0V- 5, 1946. B. A.HANNEWALD ETAL M0531 BAG TURNER Filed Nov. 8, 1945 4 sheets-sheet 4Patented Nov. 5, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT oEEicE BAG TURNER Burton A.Hannewald, Joseph J. Lee, and James M. Wheatley, Indianapolis, Ind.,assignors to Bemis Bro. Bag Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation ofMissouri Application NovemberS, 1945, Serial No. 627,402

10 claims. 1

This invention relates to bag turners, and

with regard to certain more specific features, to

so-called stick turners, particularly for turning` paratus of the classdescribed which may readily be adapted to bag turning apparatus now inuse. Other objects willbe in part obvious andin part pointed outhereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the ele- "ments and combinations ofelements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts whichvwill be exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and thescope of the application of which will be indicated in the followingclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possibleembodiments of the invention is illustrated,

b Figui is a side elevation showing substantially an' entire bag turningapparatus to which the invention is applied;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail plan View of significant portions ci Fig. 2shown in a retracted position;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the parts in an advancedposition;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail showing certain turning` sticks feeding abag into take-oli means;

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of parts set according to Fig. 3 butillustrating preliminary operations on a bag; y

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. 6 but showing an advanced position ofparts;

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 'K8 but showing a still furtheradvanced position of parts; and,

Fig. 11 is a front elevation of Fig. 10.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings.

VSo-'called stick types of turning machines have been used for bagturning. In these a bag mouth is applied overv several sticks, usuallyfour. These sticks are then spread apart by pairs and additionalreciprocating sticks are then driven against the bottoms of the bags topush these through the mouths so as to turn the bags inside out. Byinside out is meant that bags which are manufactured with` their roughseams outsideA are turned so as to place these rough seams inside. Ingeneral, two reciprocating turning sticks are used located quite closeto the bag edges. These drive the bag bottoms through their mouths. Thepurpose of this is to produce a flat turned bag. This former scheme issatisfactory for bags which bear no inside labels or the like prior toturning. Such bags in general have the labels applied after turning.

According to said two applications above mentioned by number, and asfurther indicated herein, some bags are now made with a girthwiselabeling band or the like applied to the fabric before the bag isformed. When the bag is sewn this band or label is on the inside. Whensuch bags are applied to the old turners, the turning sticks operatingquite close to the bag edges tend to buckle the bag fabric at thesepoints, and consequently also the labels. The buckling is quite sharp,particularly at the bag edges. Since the stated labels have portions atthe bag edges, they also are turned quite sharply and there is sometendency to tear, crack or break these so that they 'become disgured intheir iinal outside positions.

`Thepresent invention overcomes this diiculty in respect to this classof labeled bags.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, there is shown at numeral I aframe on whichare guide rails 3 for a reciprocating carriage 5. In theframe I is a rotary crankshaft v'I carrying a crank 9 (counterweightedvat I0) which through a connecting rod Il oscillates a lever I3 pivotedat I5 in the frame I. Shaft 1 is driven from a power shaft 8 through agear train 4I, 39. The

lever I3 carries a grooved sector I'I, the outer Ycircular'face of whichis centered at I5. Looped over a forward edge I9 vof the sector Il andfastened at ZI is a cable 23 which passes tangentially off to the rearfrom the sector and is attachedvat 25 to the rear end of the carriage 5.Likewise, there is looped over a rear portion 21 of the sector I'I andfastened at 29 a cable l-II Vwhich passes tangentially from the sectorforwardly to a fastening 33 at thefront'end of the carriage 5. Thus uponrotation of the crank 9 and oscillation of the lever I3, along with theoscillation of the sector Il, the carriage 5 may be reciprocated on theguide rails 3. The stroke vmay beadjusted by adjusting theposition ofthe with attachnients on the carriage 5.

pin joint between the connecting rod II and the lever I3 in one ofseveral holes such as shown at 35, thus accommodating the stroke tovarious lengths of bags.

On the said shaft 8 is also a gear 43 which drives apinion-45. Thelatter-drives gears 41 and 49 for driving a set of draw rolls 48 and 50receiving between them turned bags.

In front of the rolls 48 and 59 are mounted rolls 52 and 54,respectively. Belts 56 overY the respective pairs of rolls 50, 54 and48, 52 move in the direction shown in Fig. 11. to receive turned bagsand eject them from the machine. A suitable belt shifter mechanism maybe used for the belts 56 to adjust them laterally on the rolls toaccommodate them to various bag widths, but since this shifter forms nopart of the present invention, it is not shown nor further described'.

On the shaft 'I is a cam 58 which bears against Ha.,follower roll 50,the latter being carried upon 4.alever 62 pivoted at 64. Pinned at 66 atthe Qe'ndofi the lever 62 is a connecting rod 53'. At the therend therod 53" is pivoted at 6| to rocking lever 55. Pivoted at 68 on the lever55v is a rod IUwhich at its outer end' slides throughv an eye 4T2 on theframe I. A spring 'I4 vreacting from theframe and against a collar' 'I6carried on the rb'd I0H serves to bias the driving linkage for the lever55 so that the follower 60is held against thelcarn 5B. Lever 55 iscarried on a rock shaft 5l on which also. are held two lower spreaders59. On xed shaft V80, above the spreadeis 59 are two upper, non-rockingspreaders 63. By a'known suitable ,meananot shown, the members of therespective pairs o'f`sprea'ders 59` and 63 may be adjusted' to variousllateral ydistances forr accommodation to .various bag widths.H Theshafts 51and 80 are carried upon a support A82. A platen 84 extends fromthis support toward vthe rolls l52 and' 54. A able |355 is positionedabove the frame I`behind lthe Asupport 82. n

The parts above described are old and further description willbe`unn`ecessary. The improvements herein described have toV doparticularly l Rfi'- now moreparticularly to Figs. 3-11, thecarriageSfha's rigidly Amounte'don -it` a crossbar 65 whi Ih is a T-slot6l. Along it are index marks 'tai' *m the att `e1 are 'adjustable''r-tetda 'Studs 'I`| which may be loosened and tightened art anydesiredpositionalong the slot S'I. l'Ihesefloolts 'llferm rivets ,forlatral. 'SiSeeiegflmeeSlks -'i3. Thesne sticks swing-inlY a horizontalplane.

nacnsuckihas/ attached to it a b1`ock1'5whijch has apivoted4connectionli with ahead V|91v Each head ,"|9 is'icarriedwonfthe end soi" apair oilrigid Y10a-rsV .8l extending from a 511016,83- Eeh ,Slidehas laV suitable extension in a guide Slot 35. at the respective end of,aseond cross guide4 87A of. the @arriesga ivoiedoneeees. 89 .Serve t@G011- .riveted at Y95: to the, Carriage, 5f. Ari .extension arcieri,frein the rocker .93 Provides meses-.ier k0,sci1,1ai1ins the ro=ker1-Tliis lexteesoneiml et ,its 4outer VendVV carriesajroltfollower 99Awhich cillated and cause' opposite 1reciprocatin'g mol tions of theslides ss in the guide slots 85. They heads I9 being rigidly connectedwith the slides 83 will cause properly timed rocking actions of theturning sticks 'I3' in the horizontal plane about the pivots '|I.

` At numeral I 69 is shown a central turning stick which is slidablelongitudinally in bearings III and ||3. The iront portion of the stickis round in bearing |i| and square in bearing ||3, thus preventing itfrom turning indiscriminately on its axis. Pivoted at ||5 on the stick|09 is an oscillating block which ts in the forked end |fI-.9.of a bellcrank I2 i. This bell crank is pivoted f at |23 to anextension part |25of the carriage 5.

One` leg of the bell crank carries a roll follower |27 which operates ina groove |29 of a second track |31, also attached to the frame Thistrack |31' has an oiiset |33 (Figs. 3 and 4) which upon reciprocation ofthe carriage 5 provides swinging movement Aof the bell crank |2I withrespect to the carriage. This movement is of an oscillating characterand atf a predetermined point in the travel of the carriage 5 causesrela.- tive axial advance or retraction of the stick |09 with respect tothe carriage.

Operation is as follows:

Rotation of the shaft l turns the crank 9 which through connecting rodoscillates the rocker I5 and the sector Thus the carriage 5 isreciprocated by the exible connections 23 and 3|. The cam 58 drives thefollower 60 which, through the lever 62 and' rod 53, oscillates thelever 55. This oscillates the lower set of spread- Vers 59. The upperspreaders63 remain Xed.

Also, through the gear train 43, 4I and 49 is eiected turning of therolls 59, 48 and movement of the belts 55. Adjacent belt reaches movefrom the apron 94 toward'theV outlet of the machine. n Assuming that thecarriage 5 is retracted to the right as far as possible (see Fig. 3),the lower spreaders59` become raised so that they are close to thespreaders S3. The operator slides the open mouth of a bagover thespreaders 63 and 59, the body' portion of the bag resting on table |35.This is done at the time that the carriage 5 is about to advance to theleft.

As the carriage 5 begins to move forward, the spreaders 59 are caused tobe withdrawn from the spreaders 53 so as to hold the mouth of the bag'open and taut, providing an opening through which the body of the bagmay be pushed to turn itinside out.

As the carriage advancesthe turning sticks 'I3 are together as shown inFig. 3 with the end |39 of stick |09 in advanced position of ends |31 onthe vsticks 13. A. substantial lead of stick |09 relative to sticks 'I3is maintained during the early part of the travel.

The conditions are diagrammed in Figs. 6v to V1l. As-the carriage 5Yadvances the ball end |39 of the central turning stick. |09 enters thecenter of one side of the bag and starts turning the bag inside ont fromits center (Figs. 6 and '7). AS turning proceeds (Figs. 8 and 9) thesticks 'I3 follow in, at rst without spreading. The lead of stick |09 ismaintained. As the action continues the bag turns inside out at thecenter so that most of the inside label band |4| has been turned by apull onA the fabric from. the center,

as caused by the central stick |09., By first pushing the bag throughits mouth by acentralpush as described, the label -band |4| is. bentwithI the leastbuckling. It should be noted that this band fis.generallymade of paperA attached by means of paste to the insideof Vthe bag,which is vmade of fabric. Therefore this gentle initial central turningaction is doubly important.

' After most or all of the label has been turned by the central stick|99, the follower 99 reaches vthe offset |05 in groove IUI. This causesa clockwise rotation of the rocker 93 with a spreading of the slides 83in the guides 85. This causes spreading of the pivots 11 and angling outof the lateral turning sticks 13. Thus these sticks take over theturning action after the danger to the label strip has passed. Turningis then completed by the sticks 13 (see Figs. 5, 10 and 1l), which inspreading also flatten out the bag being turned. At the time that theturning action is taken over by the sticks 13, the follower |21 reachesthe offset |33 in groove |29, which causes the bell crank |2| to rotateclockwise relative to the carriage 5. This causes retraction of thecentral stick |99 with respect to the carriage. Thus the central stick|99 loses ground with respect to forward movement of the sticks 13 andthe turning is completed by the spread sticks 13. The ends |31 of thesesticks feed the bottom end of Athe bag between the belts 53, whichfrictionally grasp the bag and feed it out of the machine from theplaten 34. It will be noted that reciprocation of the turning sticks 13and |99 is -just above said platen 84.

It may be noted that the timing is such that as the bag reaches the endof the turning operation with its turned bottom near the belts 56, thelower spreaders 59 ibegin to rise so as to loosen the grip of all of thespreaders 59 and "93 on the bag mouth. Hence continued forward motion ofthe sticks 13 serves to strip the turned mouth of the bag from the endsof the spreaders 59 and 63. The ends of these spreaders are rounded sothat this stripping action occurs Without damage to the bag, Thestripping action continues as the turned bottoms of the bags are fed inbetween the belts 56. Thus the bags are flattened throughout theirlengths.

It will be understood that it is not desirable to continue the turningoperation at the center by means of the ball |39 in advance of the ends|31 Y after the label has been satisfactorily either partially orcompletely turned. This is because the ball |39 might tend to punch ahole in the bottom of the bag if the timing of the action of spreaders59 were not perfect. Therefore it is desirable during the final part ofthe turning operation as described to have the ball head |39 fall backrelatively to the ends |31 until the ball is at least not substantiallyin advance of said ends |31. In other words, the ball |39 in the finalstages of turning may be about between the ends |31 or behind them.

After the carriage 5 has reached the left-hand end of its trovel, thesector |1 oscillates back and retracts it. This causes a reverse orderof the events above described and the withdrawal of the sticks intoposition under the table I5. At the time that the carriage 5 hasretracted to the right its maximum distance, the operator appliesanother -bag to the spreaders 59 and 63, which at this time have goneback to their non-spreading positions close to one another.

Advantages of the invention include the broad one stated, which is astarting of the turning action of the bag by means of a centrallyapplied turning stick which causes the easiest possible bending actionon the materials of the inside paper or like attached label. Then as thefunctions of this central stick have been accomplished, the advancing,separating sticks 13 take over and 6 complete the turning in such a wayas to present the turned bags flatwise into the belts 56 for deliveryfrom the machine in desirable iiat turned condition.

Another advantage of the invention is that it is easily applicable topresent-day horizontal-table turners such as outlined, since all that isrequired is the addition of the track |3| and the following equipment onthe cariage 15, such as the bell crank |12| and the central slidingturning stick In view of the above, it -will be seen that the severalobjects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous resultsattained.

As many changes could be made in the above constructions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

We claim:

l, An improvement in a bag turner having a reciprocating carriage whichreciprocates a pair of oppositely located turning sticks; comprising athird turning stick loacted between said pair of sticks, bearing meanson the carriage for supporting the third stick movably with .respect tothe carriage and parallel to its line of reciprocation, and means formoving said third stick relative to the carriage first so that its endis in advance of the ends of said pair of sticks and thereafterretracting with respect to the ends of said pair of sticks.

2. An improvement in a bag turner having a longitudinally reciprocatingcarriage which moves a pair of oppositely located turning sticks, thelatter operating edgewise on bags; comprising a third turning sticklocated centrally with respect to said pair of sticks, bearing means onthe carriage for supporting the third stick movably with respect to thecarriage and parallel to its line of reciprocation, and means for movingsaid third stick longitudinally relative to the carriage first so thatits end is in advance of the ends of said pair of sticks as the carriagestarts a forward movement, and as the carriage nears the end of itsforward movement retracting said third stick 'with respect to the endsof said pair of sticks until the end of the third stick is near orbehind a line joining the ends of said pair of sticks.

3. An improvement in a bag turner having a reciprocating carriage whichmoves a pair of oppositely located turning sticks, the latter enteringbags and spreading to operate edgewise on bags; comprising a thirdturning stick located in a plane substantially central with respect tothe plane of spreading of said pair of sticks, bearing means on thecarriage for supporting the third stick movably with respect to thecarriage and parallel to its line of reciprocation, and means yformoving said third stick longitudinally relative to the carriage so thatits end is in advance of the ends of said pair of sticks as the carriagestarts a forward movement, and as the carriage nears the ends of itsforward movement and said pair of sticks spread retracting said thirdstick with respect to the spread ends of said pair of sticks until theend of the third stick is near or behind a line joining the ends of saidpair of spread sticks.

4. In a bag turner having a reciprocating carriage adapted to advanceand retract and having a pair of lateral and longitudinal turning stickson the carriage; comprising a central longitudinal turning stick movablelongitudinally with the carriage and relatively thereto, meansresponsive to the movement of the carriage 'for rst maintain- Ving theend of the central stick in advance 'of the ends of the lateral sticksduring an initialpart of the carriage advance, vsaid means beingAadapted relatively to retract the end of said central stick withrespect to the lateral sticks during further advance movement of thecarriage.

5. In a bag turner having a reciprocating carriage adapted to advanceand retract and hav-ing a pair of lateral and longitudinal turningsticks on the carriage, said sticks spreading upon advance of thecarriage; comprising a central longitudinal turning stock movablelongitudinally with. the carriage and relatively thereto, meansresponsive to the movement of the carriage for iirst maintaining the endof the centralstick in advance of the ends of the lateral sticks duringan initial part of the carriage advance and before said sticks spread,said means being adapted relatively to retract the endof said centralstick with respect to the lateral sticks during further advance movementof the carriage and as said pair of sticks spread.

6. In vbag turning apparatus having a reciproeating carriage adapted tobe advanced and retracted, and said carriage having longitudinal andlaterally located turning sticks, the ends of which yare adapted to bespread during the nal period of the carriage advance; comprising acentral longitudinal turning stick longitudinally movable on thecarriage, means responsive to at least to Ya point approximately betweenthe ends of said lateral sticks.

7. An attachment for bag turning apparatus Ahaving a reciprocatingcarriage adapted to advance and retract, said can'iage having lateralturning sticks advancing and` retracting therewith; comprising a centrallongitudinal stick longitudinally movable on and with respect to thecarriage, a. rocking means pivoted to the carriage and cooperating withsaid central stick to move it in respect to the carriage, a followercarried by said rocker, and a cam. track stationary with respect to thecarriage and `engaged by said follower, said tra-ck being shaped `tocause movement of the rocker vin response to carriage movement, saidtrack being shaped Vso that uponinitial advance of the carriage the endofthe central turning stick is located ahead of the ends of the lateralturning sticks and during nai carriage advance said central turningstick m retracted to a .position not substantially in advance of .thesaid ends of the `lateral sticks.

8. An attachment for bag turning apparatus having a, reciprocatingcarriage adapted to advance and retract, said .carriage having a pair oflateral turning sticks advancing and retracting therewith and havingyends which spread as the advance progresses; comprising :a central'1on- `gituclinal stick longitudinally movable on and with respect tothe carriage, a rocking means pivoted to the carriage and cooperatingwith said central stick to move it in respect tothe carriage, a followercarried by said rocker, and a cam track stationary with respect to thecarriagey and engaged by said follower, said track being shaped to movethe rocker in response to carriage movement to move the rocker withrespect to the carriage, said track being shaped so that upon initialadvance of the carriage and before spreading of said pair of sticks theend of the central turning stick is located ahead of the ends of saidpair of turning sticks and during further carriage advance said centralturning stick is retracted to a position not substantially in advance ofthe then spread ends of said pair of sticks.

9. An attachment for a bag turner having a reciprocating carriageadapted to advance `and retract, said carriage having pivoted thereonlateral turning sticks mounted to move with the carriage and to angletheir` ends away fro-m one another during carriage advance; comprising acentral longitudinal turning stick mounted on the .carriage to movetherewith and relatively thereto, a rocker pivoted to the carriage andcooperating with the lcentral turning stick to move the saine relativelyto the carriage, a 4follower carried by the rocker, a stationary camtrack xed with respect to the carriage and cooperating with saidfollower, said cam track being shaped so that upon initial advance ofthe carriage the end of the central turning stick moves with the.carriage in advance of the ends of said lateral turning sticks beforesaid last-named ends separate, said cam track during the nal advance.movement of the carriage when the ends of the lateral sticks separatecausing the advance end of .said central turning stick to Abe retractedto a position substantially between said lateral turning vsticks intheir advance in the separated conditions of their ends.

10. An attachment for a two-stick bag turner .having a reciprocatingcarriage upon which said sticks are mounted for advance and retractionof the ends of the sticks; comprising a central stick mounted on theYcarriage for movement therewith and longitudinally relatively thereto,a bell crank .pivoted to the carriage, one arm of the bell crank havinga forked connection with said central stick for moving the sticklongitudinally with Yrespect to the carriage, said bell crank having asecond arm, a follower on said second arm, a stationary cam trackadjacent to the .path of motion of .the carriage and .cooperating withsaid follower., said cam track having a straight portion thereinarranged to control said follower to hold the bell crank in a positionwherein during initial advance movement ofthe carriage the end of saidcentral turning stick protrudes .beyond the lends of said lateralsticks, 'said vtrack having an oiset located so that at a .predeterminedtime in the advance movement of the carriage said end of `the centralstick is retracted to .a position .more nearly adjacent to the ends .of.said lateral sticks as the Ycarriage finishes its advance.

BURTON iA. HANNEWALD. JOSEPH J. LEE. JAMES M. WHEA'ILEY.

